Down the pub

+In the UK septuagenarians like me have to renew our driving licenses every three years. This is a wise policy I think. The reaction times of oldies coupled with their innate belief in their expertise bestowed by the longevity of their driving experience is a recipe if not for disaster but at least a few scrapes, misjudgements and lucky misses. It’s a different kind of risk to that offered by predominantly young male drivers who have been brought up in a world of Grand Theft Auto (or some such). I used to moan about old blokes wearing flat caps driving along on a 60mph speed limit road at 32 miles an hour, but I suspect I am fated to join them. What’s different now about getting a license are the extra questions, particularly about one’s health that require a tick in a box (essentially allowing you to self-certify—or face a £1,000 fine for dishonesty) and then, after you’ve passed down that list of ailments you are asked to tick more boxes on a new list covering which organs you might donate should the worst happen. Set the algorithms to work on the second list and you may find who’s cheated on the first list. By then of course the threat of a £1,000 fine will have lost its grip. My advice: (if they still work) keep your eyes on the road! (And remember to change up a gear occasionally.)
 
+Visiting a Wetherspoons pub the other day I picked up a copy of Wetherspoon News, which extolls the virtues of the pub chain, from preserving old buildings, to sharing profits with employees, to serving craft beers, to being highly rated for hygiene, to being affordable - well, the list goes on. There's barely enough space in its 130 pages to do things justice. The business's chairman, Tim Martin is not shy having his say and obviously hopes that his customers will have the time to read the mag in between getting rat-arsed and chatting with their mates. This is all well and good. Why not have a good moan about the taxes levied on pubs (unfairly)? Or how is it that Ed Milband's Dept. Of Energy eschews renewables in its own estate because 'renewable tariffs offered poor value for money?' Most of Tim's articles, and I'm not sure he has time to write them all himself, cast a quizzical eye on what the State is up to with particular reference to pubs - although I notice that there is no mention of how Wetherspoons business model impacts on independent pubs which may not be able to compete with the low beer prices in 'Spoons— a bit like the Tesco effect, perhaps. However, I was pleased to see the Great Landlord questioning the value of nuclear power (yes, this in a pub magazine). I imagine this Spring/Summer his views will be debated up and down the land. I hope it doesn't lead to any fights. If it did I am sure the pro-nuclear lobby would be the instigators.